Mobile system for dispensing medication

Abstract

The subject technology provides at least a system and method for accessing a medication based on near-field communication (NFC). An NFC connection is established between a medical device and NFC circuitry associated with a user separate from the medical device and, based on information obtained from the NFC connection, pairing information for a mobile device to connect to the medical device is determined. A short range wireless connection is automatically established between the medical device and the mobile device associated with the user based on the determined pairing information, and a request for access to a medication provided by the medical device is sent from the mobile device to the medical device via the short range wireless connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of accessing a medication, the method comprising:
 establishing a near-field communication (NFC) connection between a medical device and NFC circuitry associated with a user separate from the medical device; 
 determining, based on information obtained from the NFC connection, pairing information for a mobile device to connect to the medical device; 
 automatically establishing a short range wireless connection between the medical device and the mobile device associated with the user based on the determined pairing information; and 
 sending, from the mobile device to the medical device via the short range wireless connection, a request for access to a medication provided by the medical device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an identifier of the user is communicated to the medical device via the NFC connection, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device based on the NFC connection and the identifier provided to the medical device, the pairing information from a server remote from the mobile device and the medical device; and 
 sending the pairing information from the mobile device to medical device to establish the short range wireless connection. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the medical device, based on the request, a location of another medical device that currently provides the medication. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface operating on the mobile device, a plurality of orders for different medications, including the medication; 
 determining a first medication of the different medications is provided by a first medical device, a second medication of the different medications is provided by a second medical device; and 
 causing the user interface to display respective locations of the first medical device and the second medical device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, the method further comprising:
 authorizing the user to receive the medication for a patient; and 
 unlocking only a container of the plurality of locking containers that stores the medication based on the request for access and the authorizing. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 sending, from the mobile device to the medical device via the short range wireless connection, biometric authentication information, 
 wherein the authorizing is based on the biometric authentication information. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device from a server, a list of available medication orders for one or more patients associated with the user; 
 receiving, via a user interface operating on the mobile device, a selection of a patient of the one or more patients or of a medication order corresponding to the medication; and 
 communicating the selection to the medication dispenser. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device from the server, a notification for a new medication order for a patient associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, and the NFC circuitry is included in a badge associated with the user. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, and the NFC circuitry is included in the mobile device. 
     
     
       11. A medication dispensing system, comprising:
 a medication dispensing device comprising a plurality of lockable containers; and 
 non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, facilitate communication between the medication dispensing device and a server remote from the medication dispensing device, 
 wherein the medication dispensing device is configured to:
 establish a near-field communication (NFC) connection between the medication dispensing device and NFC circuitry associated with a user separate from the medication dispensing device; 
 determine, based on information obtained from the NFC connection, pairing information for a mobile device to connect to the medication dispensing device; 
 automatically establish a short range wireless connection between the medication dispensing device and the mobile device based on the determined pairing information; and 
 receive, from the mobile device via the short range wireless connection, a request for access to a medication provided by the medication dispensing device. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein an identifier of the user is received by the medication dispensing device via the NFC connection, the medication dispensing device being further configured to:
 send, based on the NFC connection, the identifier to the server for generation of the pairing information by the server; and 
 receive, after sending the identifier to the server, the pairing information from the mobile device to establish the short range wireless connection. 
 
     
     
       13. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the medication dispensing device is further configured to, based on the request:
 determine that the medication is not currently provided by the medication dispensing device; and 
 determine a location of another medical device that currently provides the medication; and 
 send the determined location to the mobile device for display by the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       14. The medication dispensing system of  claim 13 , wherein instructions, when executed:
 cause a user interface operating on the mobile device to display a plurality of orders for different medications, including the medication; 
 determine a first medication of the different medications is provided by a first medical device, a second medication of the different medications is provided by a second medical device; and 
 cause the user interface to display respective locations of the first medical device and the second medical device. 
 
     
     
       15. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the medication dispensing device is further configured to:
 authorize the user to receive the medication for a patient; and 
 unlock only a container of the plurality of locking containers that stores the medication based on the request for access and the authorizing. 
 
     
     
       16. The medication dispensing system of  claim 15 , wherein the medication dispensing device is further configured to:
 receive, from the mobile device via the short range wireless connection, biometric authentication information, 
 wherein the authorizing is based on the biometric authentication information. 
 
     
     
       17. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein instructions, when executed:
 cause, via the server, the mobile device to display a list of available medication orders for one or more patients associated with the user associated with the mobile device; 
 receive, via a user interface operating on the mobile device, a selection of a patient of the one or more patients or of a medication order corresponding to the medication; and 
 communicate the selection to the medication dispensing device. 
 
     
     
       18. The medication dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein instructions, when executed:
 cause, via the server, the mobile device to display a notification for a new medication order for a patient associated with the user associated with the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       19. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the medication dispensing device being configured to establish a NFC connection between the medication dispensing device and NFC circuitry comprises the medication dispensing device being configured to establish a NFC connection between the medication dispensing device and a badge associated with the user. 
     
     
       20. The medication dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device comprises the NFC circuitry. 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a method, comprising:
 establishing a near-field communication (NFC) connection between a medical device and NFC circuitry associated with a user separate from the medical device; 
 determining, based on information obtained from the NFC connection, pairing information for a mobile device to connect to the medical device; 
 automatically establishing a short range wireless connection between the medical device and the mobile device associated with the user based on the determined pairing information; and 
 sending, from the mobile device to the medical device via the short range wireless connection, a request for access to a medication provided by the medical device. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein an identifier of the user is communicated to the medical device via the NFC connection, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device based on the NFC connection and the identifier provided to the medical device, the pairing information from a server remote from the mobile device and the medical device; and 
 sending the pairing information from the mobile device to medical device to establish the short range wireless connection. 
 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , the method further comprising:
 receiving, from the medical device, based on the request, a location of another medical device that currently provides the medication. 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , the method further comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface operating on the mobile device, a plurality of orders for different medications, including the medication; 
 determining a first medication of the different medications is provided by a first medical device, a second medication of the different medications is provided by a second medical device; and 
 causing the user interface to display respective locations of the first medical device and the second medical device. 
 
     
     
       25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, the method further comprising:
 authorizing the user to receive the medication for a patient; and 
 unlocking only a container of the plurality of locking containers that stores the medication based on the request for access and the authorizing. 
 
     
     
       26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 25 , the method further comprising:
 sending, from the mobile device to the medical device via the short range wireless connection, biometric authentication information, 
 wherein the authorizing is based on the biometric authentication information. 
 
     
     
       27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device from a server, a list of available medication orders for one or more patients associated with the user; 
 receiving, via a user interface operating on the mobile device, a selection of a patient of the one or more patients or of a medication order corresponding to the medication; and 
 communicating the selection to the medication dispenser. 
 
     
     
       28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 27 , the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the mobile device from the server, a notification for a new medication order for a patient associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, and the NFC circuitry is included in a badge associated with the user. 
     
     
       30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein the medical device is a medication dispenser having a plurality of lockable containers, and the NFC circuitry is included in the mobile device.